One of Mike Zimmer’s signature play calls is “sugaring the A-gaps”: having both linebackers show blitz to the left and to the right of the center. When the center makes the Mike call, identifying which of the two linebackers to block, Zimmer will often have that linebacker drop into coverage, while the other linebacker gets a free rushing lane.

Doug Pederson knew this. As Ben Goessling wrote back in January, the Eagles instead would “[point] at one linebacker and [block] the other one, effectively goading the Vikings into sending the blitzer Philadelphia wanted.”